[Masta]

I've been watching last years Barret-Jackson auction on Speed Channel all day and I can't help but wonder whether or not our cars will one day roll across the stage at B-J and command serious dollars? It seems to me that the cars people buy are the cars they either owned, or wish they owned in their youth, cars like that for me will include the Integra Type R and the CRX.

We weren't around for the muscle car era, and many of us were little kids in the 80's when guys rolled in IROC's and Grand Nationals. So what's going to be worth big money? I'm torn sometimes as I own one of the most collectible CRX's ever made whether I should begin a true resto or just build the car the way I want. There are so few CRX's in original condition that they just have to be worth something one day. I know my car isn't going to be worth true money as it's got semi high mileage and needs to be re-painted, but 95% of the stuff that sells for huge money has been restored.

What do you guys think? CRX's the Hemi 'Cudas of 2025? If not what do you think will command the big bucks as far as affordable cars go.

 

[Penz]

Depend of the market ...

a stock CRX in 2030 maybe will have a great value!

Alex

 

[g0CRXg0]

Depend of the market ...

a stock CRX in 2030 maybe will have a great value!

Alex

hell yeah, think of it like this - our cars are already almost 20yrs old. It's already hard to find an unmolested one, let alone a rust free one.

I think the highest price I ever saw a CRX sell for was the one Speed Freek bought for like $9.5k and it wasnt anything done up, just a stock, clean as hell CR, with like 14k on it and all the factory options, it was immaculate

 

[ludesrv]

Depend of the market ...

a stock CRX in 2030 maybe will have a great value!

Alex

Too a small market. They will be a collectors car soon, along with some EGs and EKs, But that's expected as these cars are our muscle cars. They will be loved and be collectables to people who were, and are still, into hondas.

 

[downest]

I think they will be more like ludesrv says, sort of like the little coupes of the 60s/70s, like the Alfa Spyders, Triumph TR6/Spitfire, MGA/B, etc.

 

[Masta]

So what do you think, should I actually consider restoring my car?

It's pretty far from stock, but certainly not so far I couldn't put it back to stock for a decent dollar value. And it's rust free.

So what's going to be our "Muscle cars"? Hemi cars are going for millions, those cars were tough to give away in the early 70's. My father tells a story of going to the local Dodge dealer and wanting a Plymouth Superbird 440, the dealer was essentially giving the car away because nobody wanted it. He bought a Dodge Monaco instead. That Superbird today is worth 100 grand plus.

It seems crazy to think of a CRX being worth 30, 40, 50 grand, but who in their right mind thought a Hemi 'Cuda would be worth in the millions???

I guess the current Mustang Shelby and the limited GT350H are a no-brainer, but for those of us sans mullet, what's gonna bring the big bucks?

 

[downest]

Do what you want. Is it an investment for you, or something to enjoy?

 

[Masta]

Well, I certainly didn't buy it as an investment, but that doesn't mean it can't be.

I bought it to drive it and race it, but I'm starting to have second thoughts about doing that to an SE.

My original thought was to build a resto-mod, an original looking car that is cleanly mooded underneath, maybe that's still the way to go.

 

[Its me DUB]

I was the same way when I bought my current CRX. It's so clean and unmolested...definitely not perfect, but it is stock and farely rare (y-49). I thought that I was going to keep it stock and just rock it as is, as resale would be better on it. Well that didn't last long as it was boring and it got to me that this is MY car, I don't ever plan on selling it, and I bought it because I want to have fun with it. I can't say that about my other cars.

I honestly don't think they'll rack up $100,000's of dollars of worth. I do think that they could be worth as much as they were new in perfect OEM condition. But it's just not worth it to me to garage my car, not drive it, and worry about every little perfection it gets, wondering how it will effect it's worth, etc. If I wanted to do that, I'd buy a corvette or some other boring car. :lol: But really though, even if this car could fetch a good chunk of change in 30 years...it'd be worth it to me that I had fun with it now and for that 30 years knowing that I did with it what I wish and that it is MY CAR.

 

[Ti Rider]

I think they will be more like ludesrv says, sort of like the little coupes of the 60s/70s, like the Alfa Spyders, Triumph TR6/Spitfire, MGA/B, etc.

Yes, the CRX is the modern equilivent of a TR3 or Midget. And yes, the CRX is going to be (if not already..) a "collector" car. The CRX already has a strong cult folllowing (how many other cars from the mid 80's have a handful of websites dedicated to them?). Prices for CRX hit their low a few years ago and been steadily climbing ever since. Prices for stock, unmolested, low mileage Si's are exceeding $5K. It's become perfectly clear CRXs will never be cheaper than they are right now.

But.....the cars you mention going for $100K+ are "investment" cars. They are low production high performance models. CRXs will never command as much as the Hemi's, Shelby's, or Yenko's because there were literally thousands more CRXs made than these cars. Modern "investment" cars would be cars like the Buick GNX, Nissan 300 ZX Twin Turbo, etc. The CRX has much more in common with an original Beetle than a Hemi Cuda.

So would it be worth it to do a full "Concours" restoration on your Special Edition? Probably not.....the cost will be very high and it would take decades for CRX prices to equal the cost of the restoration. So if you do restore it, do it because you love it, not for money......

 

[FooFighter]

One thing I think that will raise the value of the CRX is that it it harder to keep a CRX running that it is to keep a bog old Shelby.

I hate to say it but the CRX is a pop can compared to a muscle car. As these cars get older people who live in salt prone climates will have a harder time keeping the rust away.

So what I am saying Texas cars will if not already be worth much more than a car from anywhere else.

 

[andrey320]

On the subject of restoring or modding -
My car was bought from the original owner with all paperwork. It was not in immaculate shape, but completely stock. As I buy parts for the car, I keep all the stock ones. That way, if I am selling, I can sell it stock or with all stock parts. I think this way the price will be higher.

 

[Masta]

All good points everybody. I would agree with the point that it's my car and I'd rather enjoy it then stare at it hoping the value goes up. It would be tough to own without driving it s these cars were made to be driven, it's what makes them as valuable as they are now, knowing it's a great car. Many people that owned them and sold them, have re-purchased due to the fact that there are very few cars for the money that give so much enjoyment.

I don't agree with the point that these cars won't be worth all that much because they sold so many, look at the Mustangs, they sold millions of those things in the 60's, but even a bare bones coupe still fetches great money becasue it's a car that people loved and many of those cars rotted away. Sounds familiar doesn't it.

I guess it's a question that won't be answered for 25-30 years, but I will keep all my stock parts and maybe, just maybe I can enjoy my car AND have it pay off down the road. If they are that popular, there will be aftermarket companies much like there are for the muscle cars and we will be able to restore old Hondas like the cars of teh 60's and 70's.

Here's hoping.

 

[crxgator]

The CRX will be a collectors car in the future, the models to get would be:

84
85 Si - first year of the Si
87 Si - last year of the 1st gen
88 Si - first year of 2nd gen
91 Si - last year of the 2nd gen

91 SE - 250 made

hard to get Si colors - barbados yellow, blade silver (for 88 Si) Tahitian Green

EG's and EK's will not be collectors cars.

another collectors car from Honda would be the Integra Type R especially a 97 (only 317 brought into the US)

other than that i really cant see any other hondas being collectors that arent already that way (old s500, s600, n360, etc).

 

[rex2nr]

I don't agree with the point that these cars won't be worth all that much because they sold so many, look at the Mustangs, they sold millions of those things in the 60's, but even a bare bones coupe still fetches great money becasue it's a car that people loved and many of those cars rotted away. Sounds familiar doesn't it.

My mother-in-law-to-be had a '65 Mustang as her first car... she beat the hell out of it, and now regrets it 30 years later.

 

[Baker]

A poll and discussion awhile back....

http://crxcommunity.com/viewtopic.php?t ... lassic+crx

 

[OBD1 Kenobi]

Actually, for the last ten months, my Special Edition has been registered as a Collector Vehicle in B.C. Due to the low worldwide production numbers (must be less than 1500 made) and the above average stock condition of the car, it was approved. You can kind of see the top of my rear plate that says "Collector" on http://www.crx.ca/images/snow/rear.jpg

 

[ITruns20s]

i really doubt crx's will be collector cars, looking at the barret jackson cars, just about all of them have pretty decent horsepower or are just uncommon, crx's are everywhere. a stock one is hard to come buy, but really, how many people own crx's.

 

[Masta]

Many collector cars don't have big horsepower, many were well balanced cars that were ahead of their time in design and in fun-per-dollar ratio. A run of the mill DX may not be worth much, but a clean low mileage Si in a rare colour will be. I'm sure that back in the early 70's if you had said to people "hey that Hemi 'Cuda right there is going to be worth 2 million dollars in 2006" somebody would have had you sent to a mental institution!! :shock:

I'm not saying they will be the #1 collector car, but I'm sure that one day you willl see them at collector car auctions fetching way more money than any of us dreamed of.

The Special Editions are the rarest of the rare, I'm positive low mileage originals will fetch some pretty serious money one day, as will the CR-X Exclusive with the tan leather.

Hell the SiR Glasstops out of Japan will be worth something big too, I'm sure they've crushed 1000's of CR-X over there, look at all the OBD 0 B16's floating around!

 

[K20EF8]

i really doubt crx's will be collector cars, looking at the barret jackson cars, just about all of them have pretty decent horsepower or are just uncommon, crx's are everywhere. a stock one is hard to come buy, but really, how many people own crx's.

What many people fail to realize is most of the low volume muscle cars of the late 60s sat on dealer lots for months, those same cars with the rare options are worth 100s of thousands now. Im not sure if Hondas will ever reach that stage because there are so many of each car made but I can guarantee you one day at Barrett Jackson you will see the ITR and the CRX. Anything that reminds people of their childhood, people 30 years later will pay a premium for them.